CLOTH DOLLS

Cloth Dolls, Makers & amp; Marks 1860+

The history of fabric or cloth dolls goes back as far as mankind has been making textiles and extends into the present day. The earliest existing cloth dolls were found preserved in wealthy patrons of ancient Egyptian tombs. 

During the 1880s painted faces or printed lithographed fabric Rag dolls, Folk Art primitive rag dolls were popular in the New England states of the USA.  Cloth dolls with printed photographic faces first appeared in 1906.  Cloth dolls remain collectable and are still made by doll makers and artists today.

See below for many Cloth dolls & amp; doll makers identified

Doll Makers by Country  American USA | Doll Glossary | Doll Makers World | English UK | French FR | German DE | Modern

Dolls by Material  Bisque | Celluloid | China | Cloth | Composition | Hard Plastic | Metal | Papier Mache | Rubber | Wax | Wood

Antique to Vintage Cloth Dolls, Makers, Identifying Doll Marks 1860+

Ella Smith - Alabama Indestructible Dolls 1904-1925 USA, 11-24" tall, all cloth, molded face with oil painted facial features, applied ears, wigged or painted hair, tabbed joint sturdy cloth body, some have stockings and shoes painted on.  Created by the Ella G. Smith Doll Company. Dolls were made in both black or white, as babies or children, often marked: Pat. Nov. 9, 1912, No.1, Ella Smith Doll Co or Mrs. S.S. Smith Manufacturer and dealer to The Alabama Indestructible Doll Roanoke, Ala. Patented Sept. 6, 1905.

ca. 1904 Alabama Indestructible doll, 24"

Alma Doll Company 1920-1930s Torino, Italy, Lenci look a like felt dolls, have elastic strung molded felt with painted facial features head and folded felt ears, mohair wigs, Alma dolls are usually unmarked or had a wrist tag

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Anili Doll Company 1948-1986, Italy, daughter of Elena Scavini (Lenci) made Lenci face sculpted, cloth dolls from 1953-1956, also made celluloid dolls.  Dolls are marked with a tag within a circle Anili,on a heart symbol, Italy.

1953 Anili Lucia girl cloth doll 12"

Maggie Bessie dolls ca. 1910+ Salem, NC USA, dolls of various sizes, all cloth doll with painted facial features, made by sisters Margaret Gertrude Pfohl (1877-1965) and Caroline Elizabeth Pfohl (1870-1959), both of whom remained unmarried.

Bradley dolls, Glamour Doll, Big Eyed Girl Dolls ca. 1970s USA, 12-13" tall, foam with beige nylon over wire body, came in many different long gowns and other accessories and were on a wood stand.  Made by the Bradley Company, which may be a division of Milton Bradley and sold to Hasbro in 1984. 

These dolls may have been sold thru catalog type companies like Sears Roebuck or Montgomery Ward from the 1960s to 1980s. Doll shown is marked © Bradley, Made in Korea 1977.  Another later doll found with tag that says - Hasbro © Bradley, Made in China 1985 and other similar big eyed cloth wired dolls are by Holiday Faire Inc. Co. 1960s-?, made in Japan.

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Cabbage Patch Dolls 1977+ (USA),

1978 Cabbage Patch doll
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Chad Valley Company dolls 1897-1978 England, cloth doll 16" tall.  Chad Valley began producing cloth dolls around 1917.  Earliest dolls have stockinette faces, later they hand painted felt faces with a velvet or velveteen body.  In 1938 Chad was granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment "Toymakers to her Majesty the Queen".  Palitoy acquired Chad Valley in 1978 then Woolworth in 1988.  Dolls usually marked Hygienic Toys Made in England by Chad Valley Co. Ltd., Chad Valley Hygienic Toys Made in England Seal of Purity, the hangtag; Chad Valley Hygienic Fabric Toys, the celluloid button; Chad Valley British Hygienic Toys or Royals; HRH . . . British mad Doll By Permission of Her Majesty The Queen Sole Makers The Chad Valley Co Ltd. Harbonne England.

  

1920s Chad Doll, 12"
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Martha Chase Doll Company 1880-1970 USA, shown is a pre-1920s Martha Chase cloth stockinette doll with jointed elbows and knees, hand painted facial features, stuffed with cotton.

Pre-1920s Martha Chase Doll, 23"

ca. 1920s Martha Chase Cloth Doll USA, 16" tall, cloth stockinette doll stuffed with cotton, with hand painted facial features and a bobbed hair style (popular during this era).  Dolls made in the 1930s are characterized by painted hair with a side part. Some Martha Chase doll names;  1921 Alice In Wonderland doll.
Martha Chase, 16" doll, bobbed hair
ca. 1930s Martha Chase Hospital Doll USA, 25" tall, these later dolls do not have the jointed elbows or knees.  The stamp will now read "Chase Hospital Doll".  See above shown Stockinette label.ca. 1920s Martha Chase Hospital Doll, 25"_________________________________________________________________________________
Dean's Rag Book Girl Doll 15"

Dolls are marked Hygienic Al Toys (symbol of two dogs with a book) Made in England Dean's Rag Book Co. Ltd. London.

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Käthe Kruse Dolls 1910+, German, 16" Boy doll, cloth doll with jointed limb

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Lenci dolls 1919-2001 Italy, Elena Scavini Dolls, pressed felt face cloth dolls.  

1936 Lenci

Miniature doll 9 1/2"

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Norah Wellings dolls, Victoria Toy Works Co 1926-1960 England - manufactured children, adults, character and ethnic cloth dolls from 6 - 36" tall, made of mask face, velvet, velveteen, plush and felt, dolls are marked with a cloth tag on bottom of foot.

Norah Wellings

Island Girls dolls, 16"

INFORMATION TAKEN FROM: http://www.dollreference.com/